Played YYZ from Exit Stage Left on repeat for my 45-minute drive home. Listened to Closer To The Heart, Trees, Freewill, and Red Barchetta once I got home. Fortunate to have seen them on Power Windows tour (Capital Centre, Landover MD)
Played YYZ from Exit Stage Left on repeat for my 45-minute drive home. Listened to Closer To The Heart, Trees, Freewill, and Red Barchetta once I got home. Fortunate to have seen them on Power Windows tour (Capital Centre, Landover MD)
Sad news. Glad i got to see them at the garden for r40
spitfirebill said:
I can only imagine and dream what it's like to be good enough to play that amazing kit.
While I never got to see them live, the concerts I've seen were amazing- the playing wasn't exactly the same as the original recording- but it was better. Which is very cool to hear- same enough for an iconic song, different enough to be amazing.
Such an amazing imagination to come up with those licks.
RIP. Often imitated never duplicated.
Mrs. DX runs sound production at our church some Sundays for the live band and her eyes went 
when I said imagine having to get the sound of Neil's kit..
Near the end of his career, widely regarded as one of, if not *the*very very best at what he does, he took time outta his schedule, and.... took drum lessons. I can think of nothing that better sums up his character and his dedication to his craft.
Rest In Peace, sir.
Neil was not the typical rock star:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74fZvDQy06c
Lot of respect for this man.
I've had the shower thought of asking Neil: "Do you ever have fun playing the drums?"
It's a joke. He is so serious and just ripping away. I know he did. No one could do what he did without enjoying it.
I didn't realize he wrote many of Rush's lyrics as well.
Wonderful tribute article by NPR
Damn dusty in here.
*Edited & link fixed
In reply to hobiercr :
Sorry man your link goes to a Slate article so here :
https://www.npr.org/2020/01/11/795555335/remembering-neil-peart-a-monster-drummer-with-a-poets-heart
Wherein I learned he took drum lessons his whole career, not just in the aughts. Even better. Like a surgeon going to conferences to stay up on the latest techniques.
In reply to Jay_W :
Thanks. Link fixed.
That was a great article! 
I am genuinely torn up over this. Along with GRM, I spend a fair bit of time on Facebook. I think I have been on Facebook since 2008--so like 12 years. Not once can I remember the news feed being so dominated by one topic, even almost 3 days later.
I have always liked music, though I possess almost no talent to make it, play it, sing etc. That said, I became aware of Rush probably around 1980 when "Permanent Waves" was released. From there forward they were central to my personal soundtrack.
In autumn of 1982 I was a 14yo freshman at Marquette University HS in Milwaukee, and as luck would have it I was allowed to go see my first live concert. October 9th at the MECCA Arena, Rory Gallagher opened. I went with a few other friends from school. Rush coming to town was big news, but maybe even bigger in the community was the the Milwaukee Brewers had brought post-season baseball back to Milwaukee and that night was also game 4 of the ALCS vs the Angels.
The opening act finished and a short bit later the house lights dimmed and Rush took the stage. Geddy, a big baseball fan himself, came out wearing a Brewers uniform and the crowd of course cheered wildly. Alex broke into the into to "Spirit of Radio" then Neil joined and we were off on a sonic and visual journey. The energy was amazing to a kid at his first live show! Geddy belted trough the verses with the crowd singing along, and of course guys throughout the arena were playing their air drums. The lyric "...one likes to believe in the freedom of music..." came around except that Geddy changed 'music' to 'baseball'....he sang "...one likes to believe in the freedom of baseball..." and the crowd went absolutely nuts. If I wasn't already hooked as a fan before then, my love for Rush and three of the most talented musicians to share a stage was cemented forever.
Godspeed Neil. Thank you for keeping the beat, and writing many of the words to the soundtrack of my life. I am forever grateful...
I got into Rush around 7th grade. I had attended a different grade school every year (6 in total) and was super shy, so I didn't have a lot of friends at the time. I was also having a lot of problems at home. Rush really helped me get through those years. I love the albums from Hemispheres to A Show of Hands. I bought Presto and Roll the Bones but couldn't get into their newer stuff, but I still listen to the 78-89 era songs on a regular basis. I had tickets to see them in 1990 but couldn't attend. After that life always seemed to get in the way and I never made it to one of their shows.
I just saw that almost all of Neil's books are free on Audible right now. I've never read or listened to them but now I have an excuse to.
You'll need to log in to post.
